Problem: Simplify the following expression: ${-4(-3z-4)-(-2-z)}$
Solution: Distribute the ${-4}$ into the first set of parentheses: $ {-4(}\gray{-3z-4}{)} - (-2-z) $ $ {12z+16} - (-2-z) $ The minus sign in front of the parentheses means we multiply each term inside the parentheses by ${-1}$ $ 12z+16 {-1(}\gray{-2-z}{)} $ $ 12z+16 + {2+z} $ Rewrite the expression to group the ${z}$ terms and numeric terms: $ {12z + z} + {16 + 2}$ Combine the ${z}$ terms: $ {13z} + {16 + 2}$ Combine the numeric terms: $ {13z} + {18}$ The simplified expression is $13z+18$